Bobcats Move On to SWC Semi-Finals with First Postseason Win

Baseball (12-8, 8-6):

Playing in the South-West Conference Playoffs for the first time in eight years, the Bobcats came up with their first ever post-season win in SWC play. Brookfield earned the number four seed with its regular season performance that allowed them to play host to New Fairfield in the opening round. They put together a solid overall game to come away with a gratifying 7-2 victory.

"We had the goal not only to get into the playoffs but to get a home game," Brookfield head coach Dan McKee said of his team that was able to hold on for the final spot in the top half of the draw. "We got here and I just love to play on this field."

The team turned to senior starting pitcher Ryan Berry who came up with a strong effort, going the distance for the win. Berry allowed only four hits over seven innings while striking out four.

"The beginning of the year we all got together, just a players' meeting and said we just got to do it for us," Berry said of the team putting behind tough times from previous seasons. "We did it for us and there are no complaints so far. We are going to see how far we can go and just keep playing our ball."

Brookfield took advantage of two New Fairfield errors in the third inning to take a 1-0 lead. The Rebels bounced back by loading up the bases and scoring a run on an infield hit in the fourth inning following an error by the Bobcats to tie the score. Berry was able to bear down and get out of the inning while limiting the damage.

"That's baseball," Berry said of surrendering the tough run. "Just got to fight through that, got to put it aside, it happens."

"He [Berry] is such a tough guy on the mound and he's learned to work through errors." McKee said if his pitcher. "He's come such a long way and today he worked through it. That was another one of our goals this season, how do we react when there's an error, when there's a walk and the guys have put it together."

Brookfield responded with a run in the bottom of the fourth inning to retake the lead. Following a one-out double by designated hitter Ryan Rivas, who was 3-for-3 on the day, Dave Long came up with a two-out run producing single for the 2-1 lead.

"That was huge," McKee said of Long's momentum shifting hit. "Rivas, our freshman, has been are best hitter lately. The young guys have stepped up."

Berry was back in control in the fifth inning, retiring the side in order before the Bobcats opened up the game in the bottom of the inning, scoring four runs.  

Tre' Gause led off with a double to deep left field. Bryson Herr followed with a single and Austin Yusko worked a walk to load the bases. Janco Corneleus then came through with a two-run single to give Brookfield some breathing room. Rivas would float a ball into right field that fell for a hit to bring home the other two runs in the inning.

New Fairfield would score a run in the sixth but the Bobcats came back with another run in their half of the inning to push the lead back to five runs. Yusko drove in Long before Berry came out to shut the door by retiring the side in order in the seventh.

The Bobcats used a balanced offensive attack in the game, having five hitters collect eight hits for the team. Seven of the nine players in the lineup reached base safely.

"We have great team chemistry," Berry said, adding that the young players have stepped up. "Rivas has been smoking the ball, Matt Gernert plays a great defensive third base, Tre's been hitting the ball all year."

The team will turn to Harlan Zeerip in the semi-final game to be held at Bethel High School on Wednesday. Zeerip escaped serious injury two weeks ago on senior night when he was drilled in the arm by a line-drive off the bat of a New Fairfield batter.

"Harlan's ready to go," McKee said of Zeerip, who has been out since the scary play. "Its nice to have him back, we'll give him the ball and see what he can do."